Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Winter Training with ELITE Arion Parabolic Rollers

ELITE, located in Fontaniva (PD), has announced their new Arion parabolic rollers. The Arion frame is made of nylon and fiberglass, the three parabolic roller drums of antistatic polypropylene, and the belt of thermoplastc rubber. Total weight is 7kg (15.4 pounds). The collapsible frame folds in on itself 180° so it is very easy to store when not in use.

Of course, the main attribute of the Elite Arion are the parabolic rollers (85mm wide) which improve safety since they instantaneously bring the bike to the center of the roller and the placement of the rear wheel is more stable. The rollers use high quality bearings that are completely sealed and require zero maintenance. According to ELITE the Arion is extremely stable due to its eight supporting legs even in the most intense workouts.

The Arion can be used with both road bikes and mountain bikes; the front roller can be quickly adjusted into 10 different positions to be compatible with the measurements of whatever bike is used.

Disclaimer by me: ride rollers at your own risk; just because they have parabolic rollers does not mean you cannot fall off.

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2 comments:

I have never owned or even tried a set of rollers. I use a stationary bike instead. I've seen it written that rollers largely improve the smoothness of ones peddle stroke but not much else. What do others think about rollers and do they maintain and even improve cycling fitness?

I use rollers for indoor training exclusively. Using them improves my overall fitness (i.e., I get mentally and physically stronger) and efficiency (i.e., I am able to do more on the bike because I do less).

"The shortest distance from point A to point B is a straight line."

My efficiency improves because I reduce and refine the physical movements to only what is necessary to propel and control the bike. It's amazing how slight movements (e.g., head bobs, side-to-side rocking, etc.) impact the balance of the bike. A shift of weight here, and the bike wants to go there. That action-reaction combination on the rollers can send you off. You learn to ride smooth, straight lines on the rollers.

I am becoming a stronger rider because I have to.

My fitness is improving because I have to engage a lot of mental focus and muscle function to improve my efficiency. My mind doesn't wander as much when training on rollers because I focus on riding efficiently. I actually had some muscle soreness in my back the first few weeks of training on rollers because efficiency requires increased usage of core muscles. The core-strengthening aspects of my off-the-bike fitness routine continue to increase my abilities on the bike.

Training on rollers does more than smooth the peddle stroke. Using rollers helped me become a stronger and more efficient cyclist.